PROTECTING OUR ICONIC COAST and PARKS Governance of the Great Ocean Road, Its Land and Seascapes
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PROTECTING OUR ICONIC COAST AND PARKS Governance of the Great Ocean Road, its land and seascapes Independent Co-Chairs Final Report Great Ocean Road Taskforce August 2018 Dormant Tower Hill Volcano 30 responsible organisations 8.6m visitors a year 2/3 within ten years journeys are day trips Nearly 170,000 hectares of Crown land Up to 12,000 visitors Over a day to the 12 Apostles 200 shipwrecks 5.8m visitors spent $1.3b 2cm/yr generating the rate at which the cliffs are being eroded From 1846, the 12 Apostles were once known as limestone “The Sow and Piglets” stacks (out of 7 the original 9), known as the 12 Apostles Eastern Maar and B100 The Great Wadawurrung Ocean Road People have known is the world’s and cared for this largest war CountryInfographic for at least In 2011 memorial 35,000 Added to the years National Heritage List Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach is the world’s longest running 2 surfing competition National Parks 24,000 Number of people in Lorne during the Pier to Pub (up from normal population of 1,100) 11,200 jobs 2 in the region in 1983 Ash Wednesday bushfires destroyed Marine National the year ending June 2017 Parks 42,000 and 729 hectares houses 3 2015 Wye River bushfire destroyed Marine National Sanctuaries and Rare polar dinosaur 2,260 115 fossil sites hectares houses The Great Ocean Road Taskforce proudly acknowledges the Eastern Maar and Wadawurrung People as the traditional custodians of the Great Ocean Road region. We pay our respects to their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. We recognise and respect their unique cultural heritage, beliefs and relationship to their traditional lands, which continue to be important to them today. We recognise the intrinsic connection of the Eastern Maar and Wadawurrung People to their traditional lands and value the contribution their caring for Country makes to the management of the Great Ocean Road region, its land, its waterways, its coastlines, and its seas. We support the need for genuine and lasting partnerships with the Eastern Maar and Wadawurrung People to understand their culture and connections to Country in the way we plan for, and Traditional Owners Traditional manage, the Great Ocean Road region. By integrating traditional ecological knowledge with contemporary western ecological knowledge, we can deliver better environmental outcomes and make communities more liveable, sustainable and inclusive. We embrace the spirit of reconciliation, working towards equity of outcomes and ensuring an equal voice for Australia’s First People. Left to Right Corroboree Garden, Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery. Adnate mural, Warrnambool Source: City of Warrnambool Purpose This document is the Great Ocean Road Taskforce Co-Chairs report to Government proposing reforms to the management arrangements of the Great Ocean Road. It has been developed in consultation with the Great Ocean Road Taskforce, a project reference group, key stakeholders and the community. It is a direct response to the issues raised by local communities. Foreword The Great Ocean Road is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Australia, attracting more visitors than Uluru and the Great Barrier Reef combined. It’s easy to see why. The Great Ocean Road, like many international tourist destinations, has been challenged by increased visitor numbers. The seasons provide an ever-changing sea and landscape for That challenge will intensify in coming years. The Road is also visitors to marvel at and enjoy. increasingly challenged by the forces of nature – and the From the bustling seaside resorts and beach lovers’ paradise impacts of climate change. in warmer months, to the wild and untamed waters of the We have taken the view that the most important aspect of the colder months, to the splashes of colour across the bush in the visitor economy is protecting the region’s environmental assets. wildflower season, there is always something to marvel at and absorb throughout the year. Environmental protection is the major task, but to do nothing is not an option. We cannot afford to wait and react to each Sited on the traditional lands of the Eastern Maar and phase in growth of visitors to the region or severe events. Strong Wadawurrung People, huddled between coastal reserves, leadership and major institutional change is required to protect national parks, and marine national parks, incorporating the iconic coast and parklands for the benefit and appreciation significant cultural and heritage locations and farmlands, the of future generations. Great Ocean Road, together with its seas and landscapes, needs to be protected and preserved for this generation and future Land managers and the local communities along the corridor generations to marvel at and enjoy. support the proposed establishment of a new statutory authority. Having a new statutory authority will create a clarity of purpose The Great Ocean Road belongs to all Victorians. As a and a single point of accountability to lead the protection of consequence, the residents, visitors and tourists who enjoy the the iconic coast and parklands along the Great Ocean Road – Great Ocean Road share a responsibility to protect and preserve facilitating the kind of sustainable tourism that provides a great its iconic landscape. The vast bulk of visitors to the Road come visitor experience. from across Victoria. These Victorian tourists have a leadership role to play – demonstrating to visitors from other states and We commend this report to the Minister for Planning, the Minister overseas that it is possible to enjoy and protect this precious for Regional Development, the Minister for Tourism and Major Country. As Victorians, we need to show the world the true Events, the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change meaning of the maxim: “Leave it as you found it.” and the Minister for Roads and Road Safety – and to the people of Victoria. Visitors to the Road need to understand that they are visiting and travelling along a war memorial. They should reflect on the courage and determination of the returned soldiers who carved this world-famous road from rock with just picks and shovels. Hon Peter Batchelor and Hon Terry Mulder They also need to understand the need to protect the cultural Co-Chairs Great Ocean Road Taskforce values and the local environment. Hon Peter Batchelor and Hon Terry Mulder, Co-Chairs Great Ocean Road Taskforce It has been our privilege to undertake this independent Thank you to all the members of local communities review of governance arrangements over the past 10 who so generously participated in, and contributed months. We would like to thank the Taskforce members their time, knowledge and experience. As we travelled for giving their time generously to the review, regular up and down the Great Ocean Road (the Road), we meetings, range of pertinent inputs, wise advice, and saw and heard many things that made us appreciate for their openness and willingness to engage as we the complexity of the governance arrangements, challenged ideas. This was greatly appreciated. Thanks and the importance of bringing focus and a single to Andrew Mason, Bruce Anson, Corrina Eccles, David point of accountability to the challenges ahead. We Madden, Diane James AM, Elaine Carbines, Jamie met many passionate people along the Great Ocean Lowe, Jason Mifsud, Keith Baillie, Paul Davis, Peter Road who shared their insights and concerns. They Brown, Robert Dobrzynski, Tony McGann and Wayne have challenged and inspired us. Every conversation Kayler-Thomson. threw up something new for us to contemplate. Thank you also to everyone who provided written feedback Whilst responsibility for this report is taken by us, to the Governance of the Great Ocean Road Issues as independent Co-Chairs of the Great Ocean Road Paper. Your feedback created a deep evidence base Taskforce, we have received excellent professional on which we have drawn in the formation of our advice and assistance from a range of people and recommendations. organisations which has been most helpful and taken on board. Thank you to the Regional Directors of Barwon South West (Department of Environment, Land Water and Acknowledgement Thank you to the Mayors and Councillors who provided Planning, and Regional Development Victoria) for their great local knowledge and illustrations of the key support and guidance. Thanks also to the Secretariat issues. We appreciated the frankness of your advice Team for their expertise, professionalism and hard and openness in sharing your experiences. work as we navigated our complex task, and to those To the officers of the responsible public entities who who provided expert support. generously sought answers to our enquiries and Finally, we would like to thank the Victorian provided briefings, to the reference group members Government for the opportunity to undertake this and workshop participants, we say thank you. work. Whilst a complex and at times challenging task, Particular thanks go to the CEOs and Board members we have found it rewarding. of Parks Victoria, Great Ocean Road Coast Committee and Otway Coast Committee for the frank and The Great Ocean Road Region is truly an important forward-looking conversations about the challenges Victorian asset belonging to all the people of Victoria. It and opportunities ahead. is, “Our Great Ocean Road” and needs to be looked after for the enjoyment of all. Contents List of recommendations 8 Crown land management is fragmented Portfolio based government investments 46 1. Introduction 12 and inefficient 31 Lack of strategic regional infrastructure planning 46 Background to the review 12 Crown land management along the Great Ocean Road No centralised knowledge management 47 is highly fragmented 31 Inefficient government investment delivery 47 Regional advocacy for change 14 Inadequate attention to, and investment in, protecting Significant joint State and Commonwealth projects ahead 47 Great Ocean Road Taskforce 15 coastal assets (natural and built) 34 The Great Ocean Road competes with projects across Review process 16 The environmental condition of coastal and marine the state for funding 47 environments needs monitoring 36 2.